11 New Recipe Ideas to Use Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

For many people, the only meals better thanThanksgiving dinnerare the subsequent leftover-inspired lunches and dinners (and, heck, sometimes breakfasts). From Ross’ “moist maker” on “Friends,” to internet-famous “填料华夫饼干,” there are some pretty creative ideas out there for making the most of days-old turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and more.

That said, it isn’t always easy to use all those Thanksgiving leftovers in ways that are tasty, energizing and satisfying. To make sure youdon’t waste any food this year, we’ve rounded up nearly a dozen creative ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers.

Leftovers used: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy

Julie Andrews, RD, elevates meatballs by rolling cooked, chopped turkey with stuffing and mashed potatoes, adding gravy to hold everything together and then coating the balls in breadcrumbs for some extra crunch before baking them. Make a batch the day after Thanksgiving, then eat them atop salads orgrain bowls.

Leftovers used: Sweet potato casserole

No matter what kind of mashed sweet potatoes you serve on Thanksgiving, you can use them inthese muffins. They make for a satisfying breakfast with aside of scrambled eggsor a schmear of cream cheese, but also work as an easy snack.

Leftovers used: Turkey, canned pumpkin

Chili is a cold-weather staple, and it usually takes at least an hour on the stove. By using cooked leftover turkey as a shortcut, Pullman cuts that cook time down to about 30 minutes, without sacrificing protein or flavor. Bonus: You can also add any canned pumpkin you have. Or trythis kid-friendly versionthat features crunchy tortilla chips and creamy avocado.

Leftovers used: Turkey, green beans

Chicken pot pie is a classic frozen meal, butturkey pot piefrom scratch is definitely tastier. Pullman pairs cooked leftover turkey with lots of veggies (you can use leftover green beans, for example).

Leftovers used: Turkey, cranberry sauce

Put a Mexican-inspired spin on Thanksgiving leftovers with enchiladas. Try adding turkey to thissweet potato and black bean enchiladarecipe. Go the extra mile and try topping it with cranberry sauce.

Leftovers used: Turkey, mashed potatoes

No doubt about it, even Thanksgiving flavors get old after a few days. Byadding pestoto cooked turkey and roasted (or mashed) potatoes, you can add a whole new taste profile to your leftovers. Try making turkeypesto pastaor a grain bowl.

Leftovers used: Turkey, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash

Frittatasare the ultimate kitchen sink meal, and that holds true for any Thanksgiving food that might be left in your fridge. Kara Lydon, RD, cooks Brussels sprouts and butternut squash into hers, but cooked sweet potatoes and turkey would also taste great.

Leftovers used: Turkey, salad greens, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes

When in doubt, make a salad. Use turkey instead of chicken for thiscobb saladand customize it with leftover staples like cranberries, pecans and sweet potatoes. Brussels sprouts or stuffing “croutons” would work, too.

Leftovers used: Turkey, mashed potatoes

It’s common to cook chunks of potato in soup, but adding mashed potatoes to broth as a thickener is a genius hack. Give it a try inthis turkey soup.

Leftovers used: Cranberry sauce

Face it, cranberry sauce doesn’t have a lot of uses outside of Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of letting the leftovers sit in your fridge for weeks before throwing them away, bake a cup intobanana bread.

Leftovers used: Brussels sprouts

Pasta is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner, and a handful (or two) of veggies turn it into a nutritious meal. Follow the lead ofAlexandra Caspero, RD, and add Brussels sprouts tolightly buttered pastaorzoodles.